'We want to reflect every person who walks into our stores': Kmart breaks the mould as they feature a little girl with Down Syndrome and a boy with a Barbie doll in new TV ad

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Kmart Australia has once again broken the mould, this time with their new television ad. 

The typically upbeat 30 second advert contains a number of subtle messages about acceptance, diversity and gender stereotypes.

From a little boy playing with a Barbie doll to a little girl with Down Syndrome modelling a pink swan costume, the ad has been praised for spreading a message of inclusion far and wide.

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Breaking the mould: Kmart Australia's new 30 second TV advert contains a number of subtle messages about acceptance and gender stereotypes

The 'Play Your Way' commercial first sees a number of little girls dressed in pink and playing with Barbie dolls... before a little boy appears and poses proudly with his own. 

Happy to ditch the stereotypical trucks and transformers for his doll, the boy is then seen smiling and dancing as he joins the girls in play. 

Gender stereotypes are challenged again seconds later, when a number of young girls are seen building trucks and helicopters out of Lego blocks.

Not just for girls: The 'Play Your Way' commercial first sees a number of little girls dressed in pink and playing with Barbie dolls... before a little boy appears and poses proudly with his own

For everyone: Happy to ditch the stereotypical trucks and transformers for his doll, the boy is then seen smiling and dancing as he joins the girls in play

Towards the end of the ad, a little girl with Down Syndrome is seen playing with a little boy as she runs around in a pink swan costume. 

Joelle Kelly, whose daughter Josee has Down Syndrome and won the 2015 Bonds Baby Search competition, told Daily Mail Australia that it's important for children of all abilities to be included in mainstream advertising.

'We live in a diverse world, so why should our media only advertise a small portion of the wonderful, natural diversity found in our society?' She said. 

'When I was pregnant with Josee I found it very lonely from the start; no advertising materials or merchandise ever had a child with diverse needs on their products.

Not just for boys: Gender stereotypes are challenged again seconds later, when a number of young girls are seen building trucks and helicopters out of Lego blocks

'It was a HUGE eye opener for me, I realised just how shallow our media industry was! I wrote to a few companies after she was born addressing my concerns, but nothing ever happened, apart from a few boxes of nappies and wipes sent my way!'

Ms Kelly wants Josee to grow up seeing herself as the beautiful girl she is, not a person to be 'hidden away.'

'How can this happen when children with diverse needs are excluded in all forms of media and advertising? What sort of message does this send to her peers if they never see another child with the same diversity as Josee in advertising materials?' She questioned. 

'We are thrilled that Kmart, in particular, as well as Oobi, have been highly supportive of inclusive advertising. The best part is they do it without making a big fuss.'

For everyone: 'We want to reflect every person who walks into our stores – whether they are a team member, a customer, a contractor or supplier,' a spokesperson for Kmart said

Ms Kelly doesn't want people to have to make a 'big fuss' when it comes to these advertisements.

'We want it to be a natural part of advertising. At the moment Australia is in an "infancy" stage of awareness and until we push through that to total acceptance we have to make a big deal when it happens,' she explained.

'Well done Kmart, every catalogue since Easter has included a child with diverse needs, and every catalogue has made us smile. This TV ad is the icing on the cake!'

A spokesperson from Kmart Australia told Daily Mail Australia that 'inclusion' is important to them. 

Important: Joelle Kelly (right), whose daughter Josee has Down Syndrome, told Daily Mail Australia that it's important for children of all abilities to be included in mainstream advertising

Overjoyed: 'We are thrilled that Kmart, in particular, have been highly supportive of inclusive advertising. The best part is they do it without making a big fuss,' she said

'We want to reflect every person who walks into our stores – whether they are a team member, a customer, a contractor or supplier,' they said. 

'Inclusion is important to us at Kmart no matter a person’s race, gender, ethnicity, age, ability, appearance or attitude and we are focused on continuing to improve on this commitment.

'This is not a new focus for Kmart Australia, but an extension of our broader and very important focus on improving diversity within our business and truly representing our team, customers and communities that we operate in and are part of.'

The ad has been praised by hundreds on social media, with many saying the inclusion of all children should be a standard practice in advertising.

Make it the norm: At the moment Australia is in an "infancy" stage of awareness and until we push past through to total acceptance we have to make a big deal when it happens'

'So much to be celebrated with the new Kmart Australia Ad which features a model with Down Syndrome and a boy playing with a Barbie doll. Congratulations Kmart Australia on a job well done!' One woman wrote. 

'Hey Kmart, your quiet inclusion of kids with Down Syndrome in your catalogues is great to see. Seeing more diversity represented is brilliant. Can't wait to see more in the future,' another said. 

'Kudos to the people who thought to, decided and approved to put a model with Down Syndrome in the latest Kmart catalogue and to the corporation for not shouting from the rooftops about it.' 

Others have expressed concerns that it could be seen as a 'fad,' rather than simply including children with diverse needs in a commercial.  

'Inclusion is important to us at Kmart': 'No matter a person’s race, gender, ethnicity, age, ability, appearance or attitude and we are focused on continuing to improve on this commitment,' they said

Not the first time: In April, Kmart Australia also included children with disabilities in their Easter catalogue

In April, Kmart Australia also included children with disabilities in their Easter catalogue.  

They chose to do so after Starting With Julius, an organisation committed to promoting the inclusion of people with disability, reached out to the brand.

One of the models featured in the campaign was 11-year-old Cooper Smith, from Melbourne, who has Cerebral Palsy.

Cooper's mother, Bron Leeks, told Daily Mail Australia at the time that it was a positive thing for children with a disability to be represented in mainstream media.

Inclusion: Kmart Australia included models with a disability as part of their Easter campaign, including 11-year-old Cooper Smith (pictured) from Melbourne who has Cerebral Palsy

Showing diversity: The catalogue came after Starting With Julius, an organisation committed to promoting the inclusion of people with disability, reached out to Kmart

'It was not highlighting the disability. It was just a kid with some chocolate who happened to have a disability,' Ms Leeks said of her son's catalogue image. 

'It's a big deal as in lots of countries and cultures disability is hidden.

'But people are talking about it more in a positive way and seeing it as normal.'

Ms Leeks said her son's brain was 'damaged' during birth, and while it has impacted on Cooper's mobility and speech, it has not affected his intellectual ability. 

All smiles: Six-year-old Matilda McKirdy, who has Down Syndrome, also featured in the catalogue 

Modelling is something Cooper, who is also an avid foodie, has always wanted to do.

When Kmart put a call out for models with a disability in Melbourne, Cooper auditioned, and went on to get the job.

'He had an absolute blast, it was so much fun,' Ms Leeks said.

'He really responds well to going on adventures and doing things outside the norm.' 

Changing perceptions: Cooper 'had an absolute blast' modelling for the catalogue that his mother said did not highlight his disability

Positive difference: Cooper's cerebral palsy impacts his mobility and speech, but has not affected his intellectual ability

Starting With Julius founder, Catia Malaquias, told Daily Mail Australia she reached out to Kmart CEO Guy Russo last year about including models with a disability in Kmart's marketing.

'Last week I couldn't have been more pleased when Kmart released their Easter catalogue and their first that includes several models with disability,' she said.

'People with disability represent one in five of Australians, the largest minority group in our community. 

'Having a disability is a natural part of the human experience and, like other diversity, disability should be represented, not excluded.